


There are No Corners

by Seiji (SnarkyLlama)



Category: Suikoden I, Suikoden II
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-11-30
Updated: 2009-11-30
Packaged: 2017-10-04 00:32:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,520
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24013
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SnarkyLlama/pseuds/Seiji
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There go my lips again.  Always letting stupid stuff slip out.</p>
            </blockquote>





	There are No Corners

**Author's Note:**

> This fic rewrites the ending of [The Four Corners of the Night](http://www.fanfiction.net/read.php?storyid=1538816&chapter=1), a fic on ff.net by Bishonen Hunter (she has another penname now). This will make more sense if you read that fic first.
> 
> The fic ends with these lines:
> 
> "But how did you know which one was me?"  
> Viktor's raucous laughter echoed off the surface of the water. "Well, you certainly weren't the one on top," he said, chuckling.  
> Flik tried to be angry, but he just didn't have it in him. He hit Viktor anyway.
> 
> As my friends in the Society for the Appreciation of Big, Beefy Ukes know, my Flik tops more often than not because Viktor is my favorite Big Beefy Bottom.
> 
> This fic is written as if (1) the Viktor and Flik in "The Four Corners" were more like my Viktor and Flik, and (2) the "How did you know" conversation took place without the intervening two weeks.

They arrived back at their campsite at dawn.

After being awake for more than half the night, Viktor should have been ready to sleep until noon. Instead, he was wide awake. He flexed his arms and bounced slightly on the balls of his feet. Confrontations with Neclord always left him with excess energy. He needed to do something--anything.

"Let's go!" he said to Flik. "We'll catch him, I know it. We'll get him, and I'll... I'll... pull his spine out through his navel, grind his bones into flour, bake him in a loaf of bread and burn it to ashes!"

"Don't be an idiot," Flik snapped.

"Hey..." Viktor was used to Flik calling him an idiot, but not in that tone of voice. He pat Flik's shoulder. "What's your problem, huh?"

Flik stooped and grabbed his pack from where it rested with everything else he had left behind earlier.

"Has it escaped your notice," he said, straightening, "that there's just the two of us here?"

"No..."

Flik shoved the pack into Viktor's hands, opened it, and started searching through it.

"Last time," Flik said, "it took six of us and the Star Dragon Sword, remember? All that just to defeat Neclord's shadow--and it was a near thing."

"It wasn't that bad."

"'Not that bad'? You must have been delirious, then, from all the antitoxin you had to take during the battle. You were swilling them down like they were cheap ale, you know." Flik pulled a small bundle from the pack. "It was one of the hardest battles in my life. I was sure Hix was a goner."

"Hey, he was just a kid. We're men."

"Wrong." Flik yanked the pack from Viktor. "I am a man. You, however--" Flik dropped the pack, and Viktor hopped backwards to save his toes. "--are an idiot, an idiot who just happened to leave his magical vampire-slaying sword back in a cave three days ago."

"Four," Viktor said. "It's tomorrow now."

Flik stared at him.

"Heh. Well... yeah." Viktor chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck. "Maybe that did lack foresight."

Flik snorted and turned on his heels. "You should take better care of your toys." He walked away.

"Hey, where are you going?" Viktor followed him. "Haven't you wandered off alone enough for one night?"

"As you pointed out, it's not night anymore, and I need a bath."

"A bath?"

"Yes. You have heard of them... Haven't you?"

"Isn't it a bit cold for one?"

Flik stopped and looked back at him. "It's a bit chilly, but I really don't care. The river could be completely iced-over and even that wouldn't stop me."

Viktor frowned at him. Flik did look a little worse for wear.

Flik gestured in the direction of North Window. "I need to get clean after all that."

"Oh." Viktor nodded, and they continued down to the river.

After pondering Flik's statement for a while, Viktor said, "You shouldn't be dirty, though. It disappeared into nothing, so it was... insubstantial, right? It's not like you were snogging one of Neclord's zombies--Ah!"

Lightning-fast, Flik had drawn _Odessa_ and turned on him. He held the sword steady at Viktor's throat.

"Any more jokes about it and I'll make you snog a zombie." Flik traced the line of Viktor's jaw with the sword's edge. "Better yet, I'll make it so you never kiss anything again."

Viktor held up his hands and backed away. "Sorry, Flik. You know me. I can't keep stupid things from coming out of my mouth, right?"

Viktor smiled his best innocent grin at him.

Flik sheathed _Odessa_ and pinched the bridge of his nose. "It's been a very trying night. I'm not at my best right now."

"Yeah. Me, too," Viktor said.

At the river's edge, Flik quickly stripped down. He didn't take his usual care with his clothes, but left them in a heap. Viktor occupied himself with folding Flik's clothes. Mindless busy work was better than dwelling on the previous day's events.

Damn Neclord. The past should be allowed to stay in the past. That maggot-brained vampire wouldn't let Viktor's loved ones--or his memories--rest in peace.

He heard a tearing sound and looked down.

Shit. Flik was going to kill him. He'd been so tense, he'd torn Flik's bandanna a little. He poked at the tear. Maybe he could mend it before Flik noticed?

He looked over at Flik to see if he was paying attention. Flik was standing thigh-deep in the river.

Damn. Now there was something worth dwelling on.

He set the bandanna aside and went down to the water. Flik naked at sunrise wasn't something he got to see every day--because being awake at sunrise was something Viktor normally avoided at all cost.

"Hey, Flik."

Flik turned, and Viktor smiled at him.

They'd been so busy lately, they hadn't had sex in nearly a week. Viktor was almost ready to make like a vampire himself. He'd bite that sensitive spot on Flik's neck, lick just below his ear--maybe nip at the lobe a bit--and make Flik scream when he came.

Flik rolled his eyes. Viktor's smile widened. By now, Flik knew him well enough to read his thoughts from the way he smiled.

Flik sighed loudly. "Make yourself useful, will you? Throw me the soap."

"How 'bout I bring it to you?"

"Just do it, okay? I don't care how."

Viktor went back to Flik's things, knelt, and found the bar of soap. "Save some of this for me," he said and tossed it.

Flik easily caught it in one hand. "I thought it was too cold for you."

Viktor unlaced his boots and tugged them off. "If a wussy little Lorimar boy can handle it, I can."

He stood and unbuckled his belt.

Flik laughed. "Behold the Mighty Northern He-man. You act like you're from north of the Grasslands or something."

Viktor was in the river before he remembered his shirt. "That's right," he said, yanking it off. He tossed the shirt over his shoulder, not caring whether it made to the bank or not. "I am a mighty he-man."

He waded over to Flik, growled playfully, and scooped him up in a bear hug. Flik's fingers dug into his shoulders in a rough, kneading caress.

"Okay, He-man. But if you start wearing animal skins like Fu Su Lu did, this is over. I'm not sleeping with you and your fleas."

"Right." Viktor pressed a kiss haphazardly on Flik's chin. "No furry things."

"No furrier things, anyway," Flik said and buried his fingers in Viktor's hair.

Flik kissed him hard and fast, then twisted in a fighting maneuver and freed himself. "Now go on. I'm bathing, not messing around with you."

"Go ahead. You bathe, and I'll--" Viktor pointed to himself. "--mess around with you."

Flik swatted Viktor's flank. "Not a chance."

"Oh, come on, I'll make it good for you. I'll--" Viktor waggled his eyebrows. "I'll wash your back."

Flik glanced down below Viktor's waist and slowly smiled. "Fine. Do that." He turned his back to Viktor.

Viktor was good to his word. He spent a long time soaping Flik up... and feeling Flik up... and rubbing up against Flik. Eventually, he reached around to Flik's front, and Flik shifted, spreading his legs slightly and leaning against Viktor's chest. Viktor kept his hands occupied and a few minutes later, Flik's head was resting on Viktor's shoulder and Flik's breathing was pleasantly uneven.

Viktor nuzzled Flik's ear and continued to stroke him. "I love that sound, you know."

"Mmm?" Flik rocked forward into Viktor's hand.

"Sometimes I think I could get off just listening to it."

"Huh?" Flik pressed back against him. "What... are you--Ah, ah, Viktor..."

Viktor nipped at his ear. "Yeah, just like that."

"What are you... going on about?"

Viktor nudged Flik's legs farther apart, and Flik gasped appreciatively.

"That," Viktor said. "You're so sexy when you lose your composure."

It gave Viktor a rush every time, especially when he managed to reduce Flik to monosyllables. It made him feel more powerful than he did when they'd beaten Barbarosa's Sovereign Rune--though he was smart enough not to tell Flik this.

"I never lose my--God... Do. That. Again."

"This?" Viktor squeezed the hand he had cupped around Flik's testicles.

"No." Flik shook his head, but surged encouragingly in Viktor's grasp. "But you can... yeah... do that, too."

"Oh? May I?" Viktor chuckled and nipped at Flik again.

"Yes." Flik turned enough to catch Viktor's mouth in a hungry kiss.

When the kiss broke, Viktor rubbed his thumb over Flik's tail bone and down between his cheeks. "You all okay from earlier?"

Flik nodded.

"Good," Viktor said. "Then let's take this to shore."

Flik grinned and kissed Viktor's jaw. "Why? He-men only do it on solid ground?"

Viktor thumped his chest dramatically--well, he thumped his chest as best as he could with Flik clinging to him. "That's right."

"Mmm. Love you," Flik murmured and kissed him again.

Viktor returned the kiss, all the while smiling to himself. Flik was so gone. He never got romantic unless he was so deep in a sexual haze he probably didn't know half of what he was saying. Viktor tried to keep him at that stage as much as possible.

"I don't want another me," Flik said between kisses. "I want you."

"You got me."

"Mmm... I know."

Flik kissed his neck, hard enough to leave a mark, and stubble scraped against Viktor's skin. Viktor shivered with pleasure. That rarely happened. It took several days without shaving for Flik to have any beard to speak of.

"How did you know it was me?" Flik asked.

"Hmm?"

While he had the chance, Viktor snagged Flik's wrist and lead him towards the river bank.

"Back there. How'd you know which me was me?"

Viktor laughed. "Well, you certainly weren't the one on top--oof!" He doubled over as Flik elbowed him in the gut.

"You're an ass!" Flik said and shoved him.

Viktor floundered and spent a long moment trying not to breathe in a lungful of water. Eventually, he righted himself. He wiped his eyes and coughed.

_There go my lips again. Always letting stupid stuff slip out._

He _tsk_ed at himself and left the water. He blinked in surprise when Flik met him at the bank and handed him a cloth. Viktor took it and dried his face so he wouldn't have to meet Flik's eyes.

"Me and my big mouth, eh?"

Flik didn't answer, but he also didn't make any leaving noises.

Viktor peeked at him. "Thought you'd be all dressed and gone by now."

"I'm not finished with you."

Viktor roughly towelled his hair and eyed him warily. "Want to give me a black eye to go along with the sore ribs?"

"Sure," Flik said. "Later." He stepped close to Viktor and caught up both ends of the cloth, tugging them like the towel was a short leash around Viktor's neck. "I think we need to get a few things straight, don't you?"

"Uh..."

"The word you're looking for is 'yes'."

"Okay, Flik. Yes."

"Good." Flik let go of the towel. "Not here, though. Put on your pants."

Viktor pulled them on. His shirt was nowhere in sight. When he reached for his boots, Flik stopped him.

"Take the rest with you. I'm ready to go."

Flik was only half-dressed himself.

"You're ready? You don't look--"

Flik patted the hilt of Viktor's sword--the scabbard of which was now hanging from Flik's belt. "I've had a very trying night, Viktor. I have two swords. You have none. Want to argue?"

Viktor shook his head. It never did any good to argue with Flik when he got that tone of voice.

He followed Flik back to camp, wondering how he'd learned that perfect blend of logical calmness and murderous rage and why he didn't use it more in battle. It was fairly intimidating. Lesser men would probably piss themselves if confronted with it. Hell, Viktor would be intimidated if he didn't get such a rush from playing with fire, or--more accurately--waiting for lightning to strike.

Once there, Flik told him to dig up some breakfast.

Man, the guy got imperious sometimes. Viktor considered grabbing something for a makeshift trowel and actually _digging_, but decided now wasn't the time to test his reaction. Besides, Viktor never said "no" to food.

Viktor pulled some bread and dried venison from his pack and gave Flik a share. Something fresh would have been better, but they didn't have a fire going yet. After a moment, he pulled out his wineskin as well. It was probably too early to start drinking, but his moods didn't swing as quickly as Flik's did. If he had to go directly from the middle of foreplay to waiting for a fight, he wanted some help.

Flik raised his brows at the wineskin. Viktor shrugged and offered it to him. Flik shook his head and pulled out his own canteen. He sat down on their blankets then, wrapped his cape around himself, and ate in silence.

Viktor tore off a chunk of bread and ate standing up, toeing the remnants of last evening's fire. Flik watched him. Viktor decided he might as well get the fire going again. He went to his pack to get a flint. Flik watched him.

Viktor stared back at Flik. Flik going all broody and odd was nothing special, but his going all broody and odd while staring at him like this was unnerving.

"I thought you wanted to talk or something?"

"Or something." Flik drank from his canteen and did not elaborate.

"Then what are you doing--and don't say 'eating breakfast.' Why are you being so quiet?"

"I'm forcing myself to calm down so I don't do you permanent harm in a little bit."

"Great," Viktor said. "I'm all for that." He sat back on his heels and fiddled with the flint, tossing it back and forth between his hands. "Gonna give me that black eye, are you?"

"Or something."

"They teach you how to give answers like that back in the Warrior's Village?"

Flik cocked his head thoughtfully. "Hmm... no. I think I picked it up in Gregminster."

"You shouldn't hang out with aristocrats, you know. You'll pick up all sorts of bad habits."

"Most people would tell me the same about you, Viktor."

"But that's different, all my faults are endearing." He winked.

Flik did not look amused.

"Hey," Viktor said, putting the flint down. "What I said... I wasn't trying to make a joke out of what happened to you."

Flik nodded.

"I'm sure it was disturbing... being attacked like that."

"Oh? You think it would be disturbing?" Flik screwed the lid back on his canteen with a hard twist. "You told Neclord that you would enjoy it."

"Well... uh... yeah. I mean..." Viktor hunted for the right words. "I'd enjoy it if it was you doing that to me. But not if it was me--another me--"

Flik laughed. The sound was unusually sharp.

"I let you attack me like that all the time. Do you think that's disturbing?"

"Of course not!" Viktor wouldn't exactly call it _attacking_ either.

Flik grabbed Viktor's arm and pulled him forwards. "I _let_ you. You understand that?"

"Well, yeah. It's not like..." What was Flik thinking? "I wouldn't rape you, Flik."

"Oh, Viktor..."

Flik smoothed Viktor's hair back from his forehead and caressed his temple. It felt nice, but kind of strange, too, like it was something one normally did to women or children.

"I'm not talking about rape," Flik said.

Viktor played their conversation over again in his head. "Uh... are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure, you big oaf." Flik threaded his fingers through Viktor's hair and tugged gently. "Now get over here, will ya? Get comfortable."

Viktor just stared dumbly at Flik for a moment.

How did he do that? Any normal person would be perpetually seasick from constant emotion shifts like that. Somehow, though, he suspected that Flik was stable underneath all the outward show. He probably only did it to throw everyone else off balance. It kept life interesting, at least. With all the time he spent trying to figure Flik out, Viktor was never bored.

Flik tugged on his hair again. "Come on."

Viktor settled down on the blankets beside him. Flik looked him over, then shook his head.

"No. More comfortable than that. Here." Flik pushed him onto his back.

"Hey--"

"Yeah, that's better." Flik leaned over him. "You need something for a pillow?"

"You're making me nervous, Lightning."

"Am I?" Flik lay beside him.

"You want me off my guard, don't you? So you can hit me when I least expect it."

"That's a good idea." Flik smiled and stroked a line over Viktor's collarbone. "I'll have to remember it."

"Forget I said anything."

"I never forget. You know that." Flik rubbed his thumb over Viktor's bottom lip.

"Yeah, you're scary like that."

Flik didn't move his thumb away, so Viktor took a chance and caught it between his teeth. Flik moved his thumb then, but lowered his head.

"Idiot bear..." he whispered, then kissed Viktor.

It was a long kiss that went on and on and left Viktor straining up against Flik, who had crawled on top of him sometime in the midst of it all. Flik's cape draped over the both of them and tangled around Viktor's arms when he tried to remove Flik's belt. He growled at it, then growled again when Flik drew away.

He tried to follow Flik up for another kiss, but Flik pinned his shoulders down. "Don't," Flik told him. "I want to ask you something."

Viktor could have easily broken the hold, but knew it was better to play along. "Hurry up, then. Let's get back to the good stuff."

"Like how I kiss, huh?"

"Fuck, yeah. That your question?" Viktor tried to sit up again.

"No."

"Damn." Viktor dropped his head back and tried to console himself by unbuckling Flik's belt.

Flik put his hand over both of Viktor's. "Do you think I'm less of a man than you?"

"Well..." He stroked the little patch of Flik's belly that he could reach without disturbing Flik's hold on his hands. "There is less of you..."

"No jokes, Tubby." Flik poked Viktor's bicep.

"Hey, hey! Who you calling--"

"Just answer the question."

Viktor looked up into Flik's eyes. "No, Flik. I think we're a really good match. Well... no..."

If you weren't going to be honest with a man when he was sitting on you, when would you be?

"Actually," he continued, "in everything but plain old raw strength and years of experience you outclass me."

Flik looked surprised.

"But if you repeat that, I'll deny saying it, you hear?"

Flik traced the line of Viktor's brows. "Don't worry, I don't outclass you by much."

"See? You've definitely got me beat in the false modesty department."

Flik laughed. "I can't help it if you and modesty aren't even passing acquaintances. God knows I've tried to introduce the two of you."

"Modesty who?"

Flik chuckled some more.

"So, did that answer your question?" Viktor asked.

"What? Do I have to introduce you to my friend, Patience, too?"

"I don't know." Viktor tugged off Flik's belt. "How does she feel about threesomes?"

"Forget it. I don't share."

"Ooo, I think I like it when you're possessive." Viktor began working on the fastenings of Flik's pants.

"You'd better." Flik caught his wrists and stilled his hands again. "Tell me why you think I always let you top if it's not because you think I'm the lesser man."

Viktor opened his mouth.

"And if you say one word about my height, I'll give you two black eyes."

Viktor closed his mouth.

"Oh, come on, Viktor, it can't be that simple for you."

"Well... I don't know..." He looked away and then thought of something. "Are you saying you don't like it?"

Flik always seemed like he liked it. What if--

"I do like it," Flik said. "I also like stew, but you don't see me eating that all the time, do you?"

"Wait... Are you comparing sex with me to stew?"

Flik grinned. "Don't worry. You're not just any stew, you're... Gremio's special stew."

"I can't believe you just said that."

"Neither can I," Flik said. "You must be a bad influence on me."

"I don't even want to ask about the secret ingredient."

"Don't."

"Okay." Viktor smiled lazily up at him and ran his hand up and down the back of Flik's thigh. "Hmm... what were we talking about before the special creamy stew?"

"I'm trying to figure out if there's anything other than your foolish notions about my height keeping me from getting to fuck you."

"'Foolish'? It's not--wait." Viktor paused, his grip on Flik's thigh tightening. "You want to fuck me?"

"Do you have a problem with that?"

"I don't know..." He hadn't liked it when he'd tried it. But that had been a long time ago, and those men hadn't been Flik...

"Oh, come on." Flik leaned forwards. "I'll make it good for you."

"That's my line."

"I know." Flik drew the flat of his thumbnail across Viktor's pec, just below the nipple.

Viktor bit his lip. Flik knew that made him crazy, it wasn't fair of him to do it now.

"How do you say it with a straight face?" Flik asked.

What were they talking about? Oh.

"I never do, do I?" Viktor said.

"Guess not." Flik repeated the move on both pecs, then kissed just above his left nipple. Viktor closed his eyes.

"So," Flik said, "what do you think?"

"I don't know... I've... uh, never really... considered it."

"Really?" Flik licked his fingers, then pinched Viktor's nipple between them.

Viktor lurched beneath him. Not fair. He caught Flik under the arms and dragged him down for a kiss. Flik returned the kiss with enthusiasm and worked his knee between Viktor's legs.

"Tell me," Flik said after a while. "Have you not considered it in general? Or have you just not considered it with me?"

"Uh... honestly?"

"Of course, honestly." Flik sighed. "If I'm only bottom because I'm shorter than you... What if I wasn't around?"

"You thinking of leaving me?" He locked his arms around Flik.

"No. Just imagine. Say Odessa was still alive and you found somebody else--"

"I don't want to imagine somebody else."

"Try it. You find someone else--someone taller than you. Someone like... Humphrey."

Viktor laughed. "Humphrey's not gay."

"Will you just use your imagination?"

"Sure, Flik, whatever you say." Viktor pet his back.

"I'm with Odessa, so you hook up with Humphrey. Would you be the bottom in that relationship?"

Viktor frowned. "I guess so..."

"Why?"

"Because he's Humphrey!" Viktor said, throwing his arms out to illustrate. "He's huge. He's like a stone wall, like a really, really quiet stone wall--"

"Are there noisy ones?"

"But it doesn't matter because I'm with you and Humphrey isn't gay."

"Humphrey is gay," Flik said.

"No, he's not. Guys like him aren't gay. Guys like Millich are."

"You're right--"

"'Course I am," Viktor said.

"--your total cluelessness is rather endearing... in an annoying sort of way."

"Huh?"

"Humphrey's gayer than Millich," Flik stated.

"You're making this up. No one is gayer than Millich. Millich is... Millich is gayer than a tree full of flying squirrels."

"Humphrey is gayer than Millich, because Millich is straight."

Viktor laughed. "I love your sense of humor, Lightning."

"I'm serious."

"Right."

"I will admit," Flik said, "that I'm guessing about Millich. But I don't think I'm wrong. He just strikes me as the type who likes to wear women's pants while getting into women's pants. You know what I mean?"

"Where do you come up with this stuff?"

"I'm observant."

"Okay," Viktor said. Flik was pretty observant. "But that doesn't make Humphrey gay."

"I know for a fact that he is."

"The man never talks! He wouldn't tell you something like that. And I won't believe it unless it came straight from his mouth."

"Oh?" Flik dipped his head so his lips just barely brushed against Viktor's. "My mouth isn't good enough for you?"

"No. It's good--the best."

Flik moved away before Viktor could kiss him. "Then listen. I know from first-hand experience that Humphrey is gay."

"What? Did you walk in on him with someone? Why didn't you let me in on this gossip?"

"Because it's not right to kiss and tell."

"Oh... What!" Viktor sat up.

"I've had sex with Humphrey," Flik said.

Viktor grabbed his shoulders. "Humphrey fucked you? I'm going to kill him!" He tried to stand up.

"No, you're not." Flik pushed him back down.

"Did he take advantage of you when you were mourning Odessa?"

How could he? Viktor would have sworn Humphrey was a better man than that.

"I'll give him what for--"

Flik jabbed him in the shoulder. "Calm down. Humphrey didn't fuck me. And you will certainly never let him know I told you about this. He's a very private person."

"He didn't fuck you?"

"No," Flik said. "I fucked him."

Viktor knew he couldn't have heard that right. "I'm still going to kill him."

"Jealousy doesn't become you."

"I was your only lover after Odessa..."

He had thought he was Flik's only other lover. Flik had told him so.

"You told me I was your only lover after Odessa."

"You were. You are."

"Then... then..."

"Humphrey recruited me for the Liberation Army," Flik said. "Did you know that?"

Viktor shook his head. He did know that, he just wasn't hearing this.

"Well, we had sex before we got to Gregminster, before he introduced me to Odessa."

"No. No, you didn't."

"I was there. We most certainly did," Flik said.

"No, you didn't. You told me. You lost your virginity with Odessa. You told me that."

"No, I told you she was my first lover."

"It means the same thing!"

"No, it doesn't." Flik stroked Viktor's hair. "Viktor, I'm from the Warrior's Village. I thought you understood that."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"It's fairly common knowledge--in certain circles."

"What is?" Viktor caught Flik's hand and pulled it away from his hair.

"Men fuck in the Warrior's Village."

"Men fuck everywhere. So?"

Flik sighed. "Men fuck men in the Warrior's Village."

"No, they don't," Viktor said. "I was there, remember? Men go on and on about their swords and their women, and about how their swords are named after their women. There were no men going on about fucking men."

"Didn't you listen to Zorak?"

"Zorak? Zorak talked for hours. Only a superhuman could listen to him. I was gone after his first paragraph or so. Still, I think I would have come out of my daze if he'd said, 'Oh, and we have lots of man-sex here.'"

"He wouldn't say it," Flik said. "It's not something you're supposed to do. It's just something that they look the other way from--that they've been looking away from for centuries--because it keeps the youngest warriors out of bigger trouble."

"Don't explain it. I don't think I want to understand."

"Tough." Flik grabbed Viktor's chin. "Look at me."

Viktor didn't.

"Please?" Flik asked and kissed his cheek. "So you can understand me?"

Viktor sighed. "Okay. Tell me, so I can understand why you lied about your past lovers."

"I never lied to you."

Viktor believed him. Lying wasn't Flik's style. But still...

"Zorak went on for hours about his ancestors," Flik said. "Lineage means everything there. Which great warrior you've descended from determines your status in the Village, how much tribute you're expected to pay to the chief, who you can even think about marrying, the feats you're expected to accomplish at your coming of age--more stuff than you can imagine. You can change your status a little, by becoming a truly great warrior yourself, but that only really benefits your descendants."

"What does this have to do--"

Flik rested his index finger over Viktor's lips.

"And, as Odessa pointed out to me again and again, the Village is totally patriarchal. Women are protected and adored--and practically worshipped at times... But who your mother was means nothing."

"Oh, I think I see where this is going..."

"Paternity?"

Viktor nodded.

"You're right," Flik said. "It's very important to know who fathered which children. So, among other things, premarital sex--any kind of sex that can make babies outside of marriage--is absolutely taboo."

"So... men fuck each other?"

"So, it's not uncommon for young warriors to fool around together," Flik said. "Most just get married really early. But there's a few who always take a while to choose a woman or to make enough of a name for himself to impress her father and get permission to marry..."

"They're probably just gay."

"Oh, no! Not in the Warrior's Village." Flik gasped dramatically, then kissed Viktor. "They would deny that there's such a thing as a gay man. Every man's dearest wish is to raise little warriors to surpass him in skill and daring."

"Right," Viktor said.

"Perhaps because we know it's something we're really not supposed to be doing, fooling around with each other kind of evolves into this proof of our masculinity." Flik looked away. "So, for example, you do it a lot, to prove your stamina. And you do it with as many guys as you can, to prove you're not doing this just because you like one certain guy..."

"So you've had sex with lots of men."

"Don't growl at me, Viktor. Aren't you listening? It's not like that."

"How is it?"

"I've had sex many times with a handful of my agemates--and a couple nights with Humphrey. It was... a step away from masturbation. It didn't mean anything."

"Not even with Humphrey?" Viktor asked.

"He was just this big, quiet guy with a thing about submitting to pretty young men. I was young and handsome. He was nice. I did him a favor--and then I met Odessa."

"But if you'd fucked around with all those men, why were you so reluctant to take up with me?"

"God, Viktor." Flik kissed him. "I didn't tell you this to make you jealous. I just wanted to help you see me as a top."

"But why?" Viktor repeated. "It took me forever to convince you to give me a chance. I thought it was because you had problems with the whole sex-with-a-man thing."

"I had problems with the loving-a-man thing. Men might get away with fucking men in my village, but they could certainly never love them."

"You love me?"

"Mmm-hm. I've told you that before."

"I thought that was just lust talking."

"Oh, no. Lust sounds more like--" Flik deepened his voice in a decent imitation of Viktor's. "'Come on, baby, I want to fuck you so hard you'll still be feeling me next week.'"

"Ah..." Viktor hid his smile. "How come you never say stuff like that?"

"It's beneath my dignity," Flik said primly.

"Oh yeah? And where is that exactly? Below your waist?" Viktor pat Flik's backside.

"You'll never find it. You wouldn't recognize dignity if it bit you."

"I might if it poked me, though," Viktor said.

"Dignity doesn't poke."

"Okay, I know one bit of you that isn't your dignity, then."

"Idiot." Flik swatted him, then kissed the spot he'd hit. "So, have you had enough time to consider it?"

"And you insult my patience."

"It doesn't hurt to be hopeful."

"Well..." Viktor said. "I'm not sure how much I'll like it, but I want to try it or I'll die of curiosity."

Flik smiled. "I can't allow that, can I?"

"Yeah, I've got to know which of us has the cuter butt, Humphrey or me."

"Idiot bear!"

Viktor laughed.

=+= Epilogue =+=

  
Viktor rolled over and stretched languorously.

"So, you're awake now, are you?" Flik said.

Viktor nodded. "Mmm. Love you."

Flik chuckled. "Like how I fuck, huh?"

"Hell, yeah." Viktor pulled him close and hugged him.

Flik kissed his cheek, then pushed him away. "You need a bath."

"I think your soap's on the bottom of the river."

"I don't care. You still need a bath." Flik ruffled Viktor's hair.

"Hey, Flik?"

"Hmm?"

"Tell me something."

Flik waited... and waited. "Don't go back into hibernation, Viktor. Ask your question."

"What's the real reason you always let me be top?"

"Hmm?"

"There must have been one. You said... 'Tell me why you think I always let you.' So there must have been a real reason."

"Oh, that," Flik said.

"Tell me." Viktor nuzzled Flik's neck.

"Well, you know how they say you can't teach an old dog new tricks? I assumed it must be the same with bears."

Flik rolled away from him and started running.

"You!"

Viktor chased after him, though he figured he'd let Flik escape as far as the river.


End file.
